Seahorse Daddy
by Animangod
Summary: Post-Clow. Kurogane and Fai (Youou and Yuui) have settled down and are rebuilding Suwa. Something unexpected happens and Kurogane is no longer the man he used to be.
1. Chapter 1

It was a day no extraordinarily different than any other the two men had shared in the last undetermined amount of time since they first met at the pawn shop with related - if opposite -desires. They had grown, grew up, overcome great adversity and now have settled down.

They were left to cultivate the lands once cindered by death and demonic destruction. Things were peaceful, quiet. And therein lied a problem. Just peaceful got dull eventually. The thought that he went and married a guy - the only downside to marrying Fai was they couldn't biologically have children, but he hardly saw that as a downside as he had given up any of those thoughts before he vowed himself to serve Tomoyo, not arriving any of the times before he renewed his servitude and loyalty to her.

But as he tilled the land, Fai just cooling himself with a cold drink - it hit him hard, he missed having the brats around even the manjuu, who had stayed with Syaoran for now, as he had no dimension travelling magic of his own. As annoying irritating and embarrassing as times sometimes were, they were his family. So were everyone ast Shirisagi Castle, but those three - five - had become his children over the time. As he wiped his sweaty brow with the side of his artificial limb, he stood tall and glared over at the mage. "Get off your lazy ass and come help. ground won't till itself."

"Mm, and here I was just admiring your back and how your muscles flex as you wield your tool with such precision," cooed the magician, even as he set his sweet lemonade down and stood up, coming over, grabbing a hoe in passing.

"You can better observe if your over here, helping," Kurogane said with a scoff. He knew the mage was teasing him.

"Kuro-Lord spoils my fun…"

Kurogane paused at that, and Fai noticed, "What is it?"

"Not sure I'll get used to _that_ one."

"Kuro?" Fai asked looking over at Kurogane as he wore a thoughtful face.

"Haven't been called Lord anything since I was a kid," he mused aloud before the look left and he began tilling with renewed efforts.

Fai looked at his expression a little more before helping, using the hoe in his hand to till the row beside the row Kurogane was working. It was hard work - Fai had more trouble with the heat than the actual work, using a small frost spell to help cool off with. They worked well into the afternoon heat before Fai paused to go work on making something to eat for them. Kurogane paused in his labors when Fai presented his cheerful sing song voice and told him to come eat. He looked at the work they had done, and what was still left to do, before setting the tool down and coming over to join Fai, grabbing a piece of fruit first and biting into it.

Fai smiled as he seated himself somewhat diligently on the step and set the tray of food between them and Kurogane moved to sit on the step with his husband.


	2. Chapter 2

The two men ate their lunch before getting to work once more. A cool afternoon breeze blew against them, as they tilled the land together. Kurogane paused this time to go cook up a meal. Fai stayed out for a while longer working before he called it a day and put the tools away for tomorrow. He made his way to wash up a little, before he headed to the kitchen to check on Kurogane. Three meals to the day and lately, more than ever, Kurogane insisted on making at least one of them, even though Fai was more than happy to do all the cooking.

Fai smiled as he stood in the doorway, watching the man he married with his focus on preparing a decent meal for the two of them. It was nothing fancy - like they would likely be presented should they head to Shirisagi Castle, or when Kurogane was a child and had the retainers making the meals for the whole household, or even Fai in Celes where Ashura had taken care of him and the castle folk too. Well; until the Monster appeared but that was then and this was now.

"Ne, Kuro-sama…" Fai began.

"Ah?" he said as the meat of the meal simmered in front of his eyes.

"Do you miss them … the kids I mean …"

"Be a lie to deny it," he replied after a brief lived pause.

Fai grew quiet after that, and Kurogane had to turn around because it was too quiet after a question like that from the magician. "What? I know you want to say something more."

Fai made one of those smiles. "Just thinking is all."

"Idiot," reprimanded Kurogane.

Fai laughed once, before saying, "You'll burn dinner if you're not paying attention."

Kurogane 'tch'd at him before turning his attention back on the food. Fai smiled, "I think I'm going to wash up before dinner. I'll go put on your favorite." Fai said with a flirty voice, and blew a kiss at the back of Kurogane's head, before skipping off. A bath would do wonders after spending all that time hard at work outside. It wouldn't feel as good at Kurogane's arms holding him close, close enough he could hear his heart beating inside his chest, as they laid in bed (possibly after a little fun), but it would make him feel clean and that was a good second, Fai told himself.

It was different here in Nihon than in Celes. First you wash yourself off before you actually wash. It sounded crazy and illogical but it was a custom he was becoming accustomed to. At least with Suwa not really populated just yet, he didn't have to feel self-conscious about anyone, anyone but his Lord and husband seeing him naked hot with flushed skin and dripping wet from the bath. Although if they were anything like the children, all flustered and embarrassed acting, he'd smile and wave it off. Or Moko chan. Or well anyone else he was (now) comfortable with them really knowing him… likely.

Of course he could be a tease and he especially liked to get a reaction for it - more times than not he could count on Kurogane to have a reaction of some sort, even if some were the 'my god why do I torture myself so?' sighs that Kurogane was by now an expert at making, not to be mixed up with his 'the things I put up with' sigh or the 'this idiot' sigh often accompanied by a palm to the face and sometimes even a shake of the head. Kurogane was very expressive if you paid the attention. A favorite of the magician's could be the one where Kurogane was trying so hard not to react which usually led to either an uncomfortable boner or quieted snickering. Depended on why he was making that face. But by far it was that genuine smile of Kurogane's … as rare and as wonderful as they were, that one stood out the most.

Fai let out a soft sigh as he crossed his arms and leaned them on the rocks resting his chin on his wrist. He closed his eyes wondering his their children were doing. Maybe they could pay them a visit soon. Sakura should be sporting some chicks soon or maybe they already had… time flew by each world a little different. Maybe they were already growing up in their world. Maybe if they didn't go there directly they could phone them. Hopefully they wouldn't be 'interrupting' something.

Fai told himself he needed to stop over thinking things. So he made himself finish his business there before getting out of the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. Gathering his things up, he made his way back to their room where he changed into fresh clothes and combed his hair before coming out to greet his husband in the kitchen. He made soft footsteps as he approached the kitchen still mischievous occasionally.

The ninja was pouring some tea into two cups, one for each of them. He was being quiet and waited for a good moment to surprise him. Didn't want to break their brand new teapot anytime soon. "Mage… go sit down at the kotatsu." Oh nuts, he caught him.

"Kuro-sama is really good. How did you know I was here?"

Kurogane picked up the two tea cups and handed one to Fai.

"Did you-?" Fai began.

"Yeah; come, let's eat."

Fai smiled, grabbing the pot with a free hand before heading to the dining area. A smaller kotatsu was there with their dinner food already placed on it. It was a good size for just the two of them. They had a larger one at their disposal should they have company. Fai set the pot down on a mat for it before kneeling down. Kurogane kneeled down across from the mage. Setting their tea cups down, there was a mutual prayer of blessing the food before they started placing good on their plates. Fai could use chopsticks nowadays although not with the best of graces but it was an improvement from the days of Yama. Kurogane thought of getting him some of those eating tridents, forks, the mage liked better, just for at home.

Silence fell over the men as they ate dinner together. It was a peaceful kind of silence. No dark secrets looming between them, no warlocks trying to kill them, or even better, trying to make them kill each other. Their princesses were currently safe, their boys - we;;, Tsubasa chose to keep traveling even after his debt was paid, and the other was with his Sakura. THings were as close to as they should be as they could be given the circumstances.

"How's your arm?" Fai asked, casting his gaze on his husband.

"Fine," Kurogane said dismissively.

"Really?" Fai prodded on, knowing Kurogane could be as bad about sharing simple problems as he had been. It was something they were both still working on but they were also both good at telling when the other was hiding a problem.

"It's fine, just…"

"Just? Just what, Kuro-puu?"

"It just itches a little, that's all," Kurogane said as he lightly rubbed his shoulder, where the seams between flesh and mechanic merged.

"Do we need to see Tomoyo-chan about it?" Fai asked his concern levels rising.

"It's probably nothing - just some magician using magic spell or two," Kurogane said brushing it off. He was not convinced his arm was worth taking a trip to Piffle. If only he knew just how right he was.

"Well I did cast a small one earlier…" Fai mused, "Well it it's still itching you in a day or two, let's go see our favorite mechanic, just to be on the safe side."

"Fine…Any ole excuse with you to go shopping with that Tomoyo."

Fai placed his hands to his cheeks in mock hurt. "Kuro-itchy thinks of me so shallowly." He then hid his face and made small sniffling noises.

"Get over here so I can smack you and show you just how fine it is," Kurogane said lightly waving a fisted metal hand in Fai's direction, not buying any of it, but smirking some as he casually threatened Fai.

Teh mage at least cut out hte shenanigans for a bit, smilng at Kurogane. He knew better than anyone, Kurogane rarely fell for them but that didn't make it any less fun to play those bickering antics that had contributed to a good part of the first stage of their relationship. Nowadays, it was mostly harmless fun.

Finishing dinner, Kurogane began to pick up dishes when Fai placed a hand on his. "Let me; I'll take care of dishes tonight."

"Ah," Kurogane grunted in acknowledgement, before standing up. As Fai had had one earlier, Kurogane decided to take a bath as well while Fai washed the dishes.

"Will you be heading to the baths now?" Fai asked of Kurogane as he was most the way out of the room.

"Yeah…" he said turning to face Fai.

"Save touching yourself for after…" he spoke casually.

There was a pause as Kurogane pondered the words. How do you wash without.. and then a blush as the innuendo sunk in. He should be used to the bad jokes and stuff Fai pulled, but a few still managed to catch him off guard. "I'm going to fuckin pound you so hard tonight," he barked with the blush still intact.

"Looking forward to it~" Fai said with a flirty wink blowing a kiss at him before taking an armful of dishes to the kitchen to wash.

Kurogane blushing scowled at the space where the mage had just been before heading off to wash up.


End file.
